Connecticut State Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security

Mutual Aid and EMAC

Resource Sharing in Connecticut

Disasters and emergency situations in Connecticut always begin and end locally. Sometimes the scope of the event expands beyond the capabilities of the local municipality. When this occurs, local municipalities have a number of options to request resources from the surrounding towns and from the state. The following paragraphs will further explain this sharing of resources known as mutual aid.

Local Mutual Aid

In advance of any emergency or disaster situation, local Emergency Management Directors (EMDs) establish relationship surrounding towns and with local businesses for the purposes of identifying resources and planning in advance for potential mutual aid. According to the State Response Framework (Link), local governments will utilize available resources and access town-town mutual aid before requesting state assistance.

Regional, Intrastate and State Mutual Aid

When local resources are exhausted during emergencies or crisis situations, local government coordinate together through the five DEMHS Regional Emergency Planning Teams (REPTs) and the five DEMHS Regional Offices. The Regional Emergency Support Plans (RESP) for each of the five DEMHS Regions outlines how to seek mutual aid among municipalities.

Municipalities can also use the Connecticut Intrastate Mutual Aid system, as authorized by the Connecticut Intrastate Mutual Aid Compact, Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 28‐22a, to seek mutual aid from other municipalities not necessarily within their DEMHS regions.

DEMHS is always available to support local emergency management with resources during a disaster and crisis situation if those resources are available at the state level. Local municipalities should contact their DEMHS Regional Coordinator with all resource requests.

Interstate, Federal and International Mutual Aid

When  state  resources  and  capabilities  are  exhausted,  additional  resources  are  available  through  the Emergency  Management  Assistance  Compact  (EMAC),  the  International  Emergency  Management Compact (IEMC), and the federal government.